Following, checking the VBO’s
largest telescope inside the
Vainu Bappu Observatory, we drawn back to the 6
inch telescope for watching the celestial objects on space. This is a facility impended
only if there is a clear sky and the observatory is open to public only on
Saturday, to visit the telescope between 2 to 5 pm and staring starts and planet
viewing adjoined for 6.30-10 pm. We waited for nearly an hour until the dusk
disappeared and twinkle stars get to sight, the place sounds quiet except the
resonant of our batch waiting to watch through telescope, the winter cold wraps
around under the open sky and moist meadow. We saw guards wander with rifle to
keep away the wild animals entering the campus: elephant, bison and wild boar are
found commonly around VBO’s forest area, belong to Javadu Hills.
The observatory
is located at an altitude of 700 meters and quarter distance from Bangalore
compared to about 210 km from Chennai. VBO is one of the field stations of Bangalore
based Indian Institute of Astrophysics, which is primarily devoted to research
activates using the optical telescope. There are about 6-7 telescopes built
around the campus of VBO, except for the 1 and 2.3 meter telescopes; others are
small domes and shed. The 6 inch telescope that allowed viewing for public was
kept inside a shed (that u see in the above picture), which top is pushed aside
while using the telescope and its position is fixed to view specific celestial
objects on sky. That, what has become an obstacle for me from observing through
telescope; as the view point has kept high from ground, I couldn't keep up to
being tough.
There were more
than 100 students waiting behind us, so I kept a quick out of the shed
realizing the difficult. My parents who got the opportunity to watch through
telescope found Jupiter and three shining stars closer. The students who lined
behind us were those exits during our entry, seemed waited for long time at the
gateway to view via telescope. The security is tight inside the observatory and
guards wore a moody mask, but the officers are kind enough to slender tie for
me and encouraged indirectly for taking the course.
It was pitch
dark, when we left the telescope shed and there were no lights to lead us to
entrance. Except following the road for few hundred meters, I rode the wheel
chair tracing the center white line torched by my cousin, using his cell phone.
Being winter, the darkness settled early from the pink shades the sun left
behind the forest scene. It was adventurous driving back to Jamunamarathur from
VBO through the thick adjoining forest road where one or two vehicle only
passed. The village town doesn’t have
great hotels except only one pure vegetarian mess; all are non-vegetarian teashops
preparing traditional Tiffin’s like: idly, dosai, pongal, parotta… and biriyani
for lunch. There are many Biriyani shops in funny names and almost different in
taste from one another… u may wonder how I know. For the lunch next day, we
brought biriyani from more than couple of shops to taste which is best and
getting there for remain of us.
For the dinner
that night, we brought Tiffin from one of the tea-shops That wasn't so bad or
good at taste but enough to keep content the stomach and somehow hygiene
hopefully. Gladly the night went off peacefully and comfort since the suite and
mattress become favorable, kept away the sleep difficulties, I used to experience
in absence of home comfort. We also had some fun that day, watching the monkeys
business while waiting at the entrance of the VBO for some time. There was this
cute little monkey perched to a branch (check picture above), behold through its gestures and
behavior unlike the elder one which was trying to steal something from a
bike pouch.
